FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 27, 2017
CONTACT:
Arriale Tabson, 615-767-3242
Tennessee Highway Safety Office, Partners Advocate for Teen Safety during Prom, Graduation
83 Alcohol-Related Crashes Involved a Teen Driver This Time Last Year
TENNESSEE – Prom and graduation celebrations should be enjoyable, safe experiences for everyone. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is partnering with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), and AAA – The Auto Club Group to promote teen driver safety during prom and graduation season. According to the Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (TITAN), there were 83 alcohol-related crashes involving a teen driver this time last year, three of which were fatal. This year, the THSO joins the TABC, SADD, and AAA to reduce teen crashes, injuries, and fatalities through increased enforcement, education, and awareness.
Throughout April and May, special agents from the TABC are stepping up their Underage Sales Tennessee Operation Plan (USTOP) program statewide. USTOP is an initiative to reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic crashes by conducting minor compliance checks and re-checks to prevent alcohol sales to minors. The TABC encourages citizens to report any licensed establishment that serves alcoholic beverages to minors. To file a complaint on a licensed establishment (restaurant, bar, hotel and/or retail store) that is selling to minors, please visit www.tn.gov/abc or call 615-741-7583. You can directly access the complaint form here.
“Many students feel that after prom and graduation their celebrations must include alcohol, that drinking is a rite of passage,” said Vic Donoho, Director of the THSO. “But, there’s always an alternative.”
In an effort to provide a tragedy-free prom and graduation for teens, SADD collaborates with high schools, parents, and communities to host alcohol-free “All-Night Parties” as a safe alternative to the drinking and driving from party to party that often takes place. To get involved, contact Julie Strike at jstrike@sadd.org.
High schools are also encouraged to participate in the AAA PROMise Program. This program is offered by the Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation to protect teen drivers on the roadways. By making the AAA PROMise, teens commit to making the right decision when it comes to underage drinking and impaired driving. Visit www.AAAPROMise.com to order a free AAA PROMise tool kit, which provides promotional items and educational materials on how to stay safe between prom and graduation night.
Students who participate in teen driver safety activities in their communities, like SADD’s “All-Night Parties” or the AAA PROMise, can receive points, prizes, and other incentives by signing up at ReduceTNCrashes.org, the THSO’s free peer-to-peer program for high-school teens.
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About the Tennessee Highway Safety Office
The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security advocating for traffic safety. The THSO works in tandem with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to implement statewide programs addressing occupant protection, impaired driving, speed enforcement, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and crash data collection and analysis. Programs administered by the THSO are 100 percent federally funded. The THSO’s mission is to effectively develop, implement, and evaluate these programs. To learn more, please visit www.tntrafficsafety.org.
About the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission
The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) is charged with regulating and enforcing laws, rules, and regulations related to alcoholic beverages. The TABC licenses on-premise and off-premise alcoholic beverage retailers, issues permits to individuals handling and dispensing alcoholic beverages, and enforces criminal provisions in state law relative to alcoholic beverages. The TABC’s mission is to be the most fair, effective, and responsible state regulators of the alcoholic beverage industry in the country. To learn more, please visit www.tn.gov/abc.
About the Students Against Destructive Decisions
Founded in 1981, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is the nation’s premier youth health and safety organization. SADD empowers young people with tools and resources needed to confront the risks and pressures they face every day including substance abuse, impaired and distracted driving, mental health issues and more. Through informed programming and a national peer-to-peer network, SADD is shaping young people into leaders and advocates of youth health and safety in their schools and communities. There are hundreds of thousands of active SADD students across all 50 states and millions of successful alumni. Join the SADD movement at www.sadd.org and follow SADD on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 57 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
About Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation
Established by AAA – The Auto Club Group in 2010, Auto Club Group Traffic Safety Foundation, Inc. (ACGTSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and public charity dedicated to producing a significant and continuous reduction in traffic crashes, injuries and deaths in the communities targeted by its efforts. ACGTSF provides programs, education and outreach to increase public awareness about the importance of traffic safety and improve driving behavior. ACGTSF is funded by voluntary, tax-deductible contributions from organizations and individuals who support ACGTSF’s purpose.
